Carol Miles and Kelly Atterberry

WSU Mount Vernon NWREC

milesc@wsu.edu http://vegetables.wsu.edu/

GROWING DRY BEANS IN HOME GARDENS

Crop at a Glance

Growing Season Summer

Time of planting May 15-June 1
Spacing Plant seeds 2-3 inches apart in the row; space
rows 2-3 feet apart
Days to harvest 90-110
Average yield 1.2 pounds per 10-foot row

Introduction
Dry beans are an easy crop to grow in the garden. Their large seeds germinate quickly
and easily. Dry beans are a member of the legume family and are able to ‘fix’ nitrogen
from the air. Thus it is not necessary to apply large amounts of nitrogen fertilizer to the
crop, and at the end of the season you can compost the plant residue or till it into the soil
to provide nitrogen to the next crop the following year. Dry beans are a good rotation
crop because of their nitrogen fixing ability, and they are able to break some common
disease cycles for other popular garden crops. In addition, dry beans are a nutritious food,
easy to store for long periods of time, and seed can be saved and planted the following
year.

Selecting Bean Types

There are bush bean and pole bean types of dry beans. Both bush beans and pole beans
are planted in rows or in raised beds, but pole beans require a trellis. There are many
more varieties of bush beans than pole beans. Refer to our website
http://vegetables.wsu.edu/NicheMarket/BeanVarieties.html for photos of many bush dry
bean varieties that grow well in Washington state, days to maturity, plant height and pod
and bean characteristics.

Choosing a Planting Site

Plant dry beans in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun with at least six hours of direct
sunlight each day. While soil drainage is determined mostly by the site, it can be
improved by using raised beds.

Planting Guidelines
Before planting, inoculate seed with Rhizobium leguminosarum, a natural soil bacterium
that forms nodules on the plant roots and creates a symbiotic relationship with the plant
to fix nitrogen from the air. The root nodules are the site of nitrogen fixation. By fixing

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nitrogen, the plant is able to meet much of its own nitrogen needs. Do not apply too much
nitrogen fertilizer or this will prevent the bacteria from forming root nodules. Plant seed
when soil temperature is at least 50 oF. Seed will germinate in 6-14 days.

Bean Type Planting No. Seeds per In-row Between Row

Depth (in.) Row Foot Spacing (in.) Spacing (in.)
Bush 1½ -2 6-8 2-3 18 - 30
Pole 1½-2 4-6 4-6 36 - 48

Irrigation
Water beans once a week from seeding until the end of August. Apply approximately
1.25 gallons of water to 10 feet of row each week. Watering is especially important once
plants are flowering to ensure good pod formation. Too much or too little water can cause
blossom and pod drop, which leads to a decrease in yield. Apply water to the base of the
plant and avoid wetting the foliage (leaves). Use drip irrigation to provide an even
amount of water throughout the garden, to avoid water loss from evaporation, and to
avoid watering weeds in the alleyways. Drip irrigation also prevents foliar diseases,
which tend to become established on wet plants. If you are using overhead watering
(sprinkler), water plants early in the morning to allow them to dry before nighttime. Wet
plants are more susceptible to foliar diseases when temperatures drop, such as in the
evening and nighttime. Stop irrigating bean plants in late August to allow bean pods to
dry.

Weed Control
Beans are easy to weed if you start early in the season. Weed thoroughly between rows
and in the rows once the plants have become established, usually about 6 weeks after
seeding. If you weed too soon, it is easy to pull bean plants out when you pull out the
weeds. Weed once more in mid July and a final time in early August. In dry areas, weeds
that have not yet flowered can be discarded between rows of beans; weeds will dry out
completely and die in 1-2 days and will form a layer of mulch on the soil surface around
the beans. In wet areas and once weeds have flowered, discard weeds outside of the
garden area as the weed plants can re-root and seeds can sprout. After the first weeding,
apply 2-3 inches of mulch around the bean plants to reduce weed growth as well as to
retain moisture in the soil. Fallen leaves, untreated lawn clippings and weathered straw
are all good mulch materials. Do not apply mulch within 2 inches of the plant as the
mulch may provide habitat for pest insects, which may feed on the bean plants.
If you are using lawn clippings or other yard debris where herbicides have been
applied, or if you are using purchased compost made from yard debris or agricultural
feedstocks (i.e., dairy manure, animal bedding, hay, straw), be aware of potential
herbicide residues. Beans are especially sensitive to residues of some common herbicides
such as Aminopyralid. Affected bean plants will become distorted and the damage looks
much like virus symptoms; plants will be very low yielding and can die.

Fertilizer
Use a complete garden fertilizer that contains approximately equal amounts of nitrogen
(N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Refer to the label of the fertilizer you are using

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and apply at the lowest recommended rate. Do not over apply nitrogen fertilizer as this
will prevent the natural formation of nitrogen fixing nodules on the plant roots.

Common Problems

Problem Athracnose, Glomerella lindemuthiana (perfect state) or Colletotrichum

lindemuthiana (conidial state)
Symptoms Leaves: Lesions on leaf petiole and lower leaf surfaces are brick red to
purple and turn dark brown to black over time.
Pods: Tan to rust colored lesions (1-10 mm in diameter), sunken in and
bordered by a slightly raised black ring and reddish brown boarder.

Image

Photo source: WSU Vegetable Extension Group – Krishna Mohan

Preventative/ Plant disease-free seed. Use a 2-3 year crop rotation with non-host crops
Corrective such as small grains, corn and other vegetables.
Action
Problem Bean common mosaic virus
Symptoms Leaves: Leaf roll, green-on-green vein banding, blistering and yellow
dots (atypical).
Whole plant: Stunted growth, mosaic mottle, and malformation.
Image

Photo source: WSU Vegetable Extension Group – Philip Hamm

Preventative/ Use virus-free seed. Aphid control may reduce disease transmission.
Corrective
Action

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Problem Beet curly top virus, Curtovirus
Symptoms Leaves: Young plants exhibit epinastic leaf curl (downward bending of
leaves caused by excessive growth of the upper side) and yellowing.
Plants infected at later stages of growth show less severe symptoms,
with epinastic leaf curl and yellowing on new growth. Darkening and
thickening of leaves and shortening of internode.
Pods: Only pods that formed before infection will mature.
Image

Photo source: WSU Vegetable Extension Group – Lindsey du Toit

Preventative/ Grow resistant or tolerant cultivars. Delay planting of susceptible
Corrective cultivars until after leafhopper (a vector) migration is complete.
Action
Problem Common blight, Xanthomonos axonopis pv. Phaseoli
Symptoms Leaves: Water-soaked spots that gradually coalesce into irregular
shapes. Lesions become dry, brown and surrounded by a yellow margin.
Generally occur on margin of leaf.
Pods: Dark red-brown, circular and slightly sunken lesions.
Seeds: May be shriveled and exhibit poor germination.
Image

Photo Source: WSU Vegetable Extension Group – Howard Shwartz

Preventative/ 2-3 year crop rotation. Use disease-free seeds.
Corrective
Action
Problem Fusarium root rot, Fusarium solani
Symptoms Red discoloration on main root later turning brown and decaying. Poor
root development. In severe cases plants are stunted and leaves turn
yellowish and may drop early.

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Image

Photo source: WSU Vegetable Extension Group – G.Q. Pelter

Preventative/ Plant in well-drained soil or raised bed. Use 5-6 year crop rotation with
Corrective non-host crop such as grains and vegetables.
Action
Problem Halo blight, Pseudomonas syringae pv. Phaseolicola
Symptoms Leaves: Small water-soaked spots on underside of leaf, followed by
brown spots with a yellow halo.
Pods: Dark, greasy, water-soaked spots.
Seeds: May be shriveled or discolored.
Image

Photo source: Carol Miles

Preventative/ Use a 2-3 year crop rotation. Plant disease-free seed. Delay planting
Corrective until there is little or no rainfall. Remove weeds and volunteer beans to
Action avoid disease reservoirs. Plant tolerant or disease resistant cultivars.
Problem Sclerotinia white mold, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum
Symptoms Flowers: white moldy, cotton appearance as mycelium grows on
flowers.
Whole plant: Lesions start as small, circular, dark-green and appear
water-soaked but rapidly become larger, slimy and may envelope the
entire plant. Under moist conditions, the lesions may grow external
mycelium, which have a white mold appearance.

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Image

Photo sources: WSU Vegetable Extension Group – Lindsey du Toit and

Krishna Mohan
Preventative/ Rotate with non-host crops, such as cereal, corn or vegetables. Avoid
Corrective excessive nitrogen fertilization. Wide spacing between plants reduces
Action disease. Cultivars that grow upright and open can avoid this disease.

Health and Nutritional Benefits

Dry beans are an important and healthful food used by people worldwide. Dry beans are
rich in fiber, minerals such as zinc and iron, B vitamins such as folic acid, and contain
omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Dry beans do not contain all of the essential amino
acids and are deficient in methionine and tryptophan. Supplement dry beans with other
foods such as grains or animal protein to obtain all of the essential amino acids.
Traditional societies that use beans as their main source of protein take great care in dry
bean preparation to ensure maximum digestibility and nutritional benefits. This includes
soaking dry beans for 6-8 hours or overnight before they are cooked. Soaking softens
skins and begins the sprouting process, which neutralizes phytic acid and eliminates
difficult to digest complex sugars.

Fiber may help prevent coronary heart disease, which is caused by a build up cholesterol
in the coronary arteries. Fiber reduces the low-density lipoproteins in the bloodstream,
which reduces plaque build up. Type 2 diabetes, which is characterized by a sustained
high blood sugar level, can be controlled in part through increased fiber in the diet. The
fiber slows down the movement of food through the intestines, thereby moderating the
release of sugar from the intestines into the bloodstream. Increasing the amount of fiber
in the diet can reduce constipation, a common discomfort for many Americans. When
you are increasing the amount of dietary fiber in your diet, do it gradually, as it takes time
for the bacteria needed to break down fiber to build up in your intestines. If too much
fiber is consumed too quickly, gas and bloating may occur. Also, when increasing your
fiber intake, increase your liquid intake to prevent constipation and dehydration.

Resource Information
WSU web page: Niche Market Dry Beans

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http://vegetables.wsu.edu/index.html - WSU’s Vegetable Research and Extension
homepage. This is where you will find the link to Dry Bean Variety Descriptions for
photos of many bush dry bean varieties that grow well in Washington state, days to
maturity, plant height and pod and bean characteristics.

References
Fallon, Sally, Mary G. Enig, Kim Murray and Marion Dearth. 2001. Nourishing
Traditions: the Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet
Dictocrats. Rev. 2nd ed. Washington, DC: NewTrends Pub.

Harvard School of Public Health. 2012. Fiber - What Should I Eat? The Nutrition Source
Harvard School of Public Health N.p., Web. 27 Mar.
<http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-
eat/fiber/index.html>.

Haas, Elson M., and Buck Levin. 2006. Staying Healthy with Nutrition: the Complete
Guide to Diet and Nutritional Medicine. 21st-century ed. Berkeley: Celestial Arts.

Hall, R. 1994. Compendium of Bean Diseases. St. Paul, Mn: The American Pathology
Society.

WSU Whatcom County Extension Fact Sheet. 2011. Herbicide Contamination of Organic
Matter. http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/aminopyralid/index.html.

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